Creating “cationic cotton” by introducing a positive charge to a cotton fabric or textile for increased dye uptake is well known. One of the most common methods is to use epoxy based ammonium compounds, such as 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride (commercially available under the tradename CR-2000), to add a charge to the cotton's cellulose polymer backbone.
However, there are unmet needs in the art to increase relative dye uptake, generate less waste in the treatment of cotton fabric, and provide a lower cost to treat than conventional additives.